A letter of protection, or LOP, is a letter sent to a medical professional by a personal injury attorney. The letter is a written guarantee that the client will pay for the treatment from a future lawsuit settlement or jury award. 

Obtaining a letter of protection is a way for your lawyer to vouch for you to receive the treatment you need without having to worry about your private health insurance denying the claim. Sending a letter of protection could be a good option if you don’t have health insurance or if you otherwise can’t afford the medical treatment you need.

Keep reading to learn more about letters of protection. If you were injured in a car crash or other accident and don’t know how you’re going to pay your bills, call Carner & DeVita for help. Our Long Island car accident lawyers are expert negotiators who will work to get you every penny of the compensation you deserve. 

Call (631) 380-4417 today.

Letters of Protection & Car Accidents

If you’ve been to the doctor recently, you’ve probably noticed a sign saying, “Payment expected at the time services are rendered.” That means you must pay for the service or treatment either in cash or with health insurance.

That seems straightforward, but what that sign doesn’t tell you is that many health insurance plans will not pay for treatment if the injuries were sustained in a car crash. Instead, they’ll tell you to go to your auto insurance provider.

If this happens, don’t assume you’re in the clear yet. Unfortunately, auto insurance companies sometimes try various grounds to deny your treatment.

Over the years, doctors have learned to expect this behavior from health and auto insurance companies. Many facilities are willing to continue your treatment if they have an assurance of payment from your case.

A Letter of Protection Can Help You Receive Treatment

Now, here’s where the letter of protection comes in. 

When your Long Island car accident attorney sends a letter of protection, your doctor will treat you and wait for payment later. The doctor or medical professional will agree to wait until the conclusion of the case to be paid.  In the meantime, they will not send demands for payment or report you to a collections agency.

If your attorney settles or obtains a judgment in the case, they have an obligation to make sure the doctor or provider gets paid. They’ll subtract the medical provider’s bill from your  settlement, and you won’t have to worry about how to pay for treatment.

If, however, you lose the case and don’t recover any money, you are still responsible for paying the bill. In this case, the medical provider retains the right to report you to collections and otherwise pursue payment for services.

Want to know if a letter of protection is an option in your case? Call us.

Unfortunately, letters of protection are only necessary because insurance companies exploit ways to deny payment of medical bills. 

Many people are not in a position to pay for thousands of dollars worth of medical care at once, and sadly, receiving treatment for injuries from an accident that wasn’t even their fault has put many people in debt or financial ruin.

That doesn’t have to happen to you. If you were injured in a car accident, you need an attorney to advocate on your behalf and protect your legal rights and best interests. Predatory insurance companies are all too eager to deny or devalue claims; let an attorney from Carner & DeVita fight on your behalf for every penny of the compensation you need. 

Call us today at (631) 380-4417.